The present invention relates to an apparatus for assembling a laminated ring comprising a plurality of endless ring components, such as a belt for use in a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or the like.
Belts for use in continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) such as automobile transmissions, for example, comprise a pair of laminated rings each made up of a plurality of endless ring components of metal that are assembled in a laminated form in their transverse direction. Such a laminated ring is manufactured as follows:
Ring components that serve as respective layers of a laminated ring are produced and stored by a component storage facility. The ring component serving as each layer is basically manufactured such that its circumferential length and radius are of design values (which differ from layer to layer). Generally, however, the actual circumferential lengths and radii of the manufactured ring components suffer errors introduced in the manufacturing process. Therefore, the circumferential lengths and radii of the ring components are not always in exact agreement with design values, but tend to vary from design values to a certain extent. Size data representing the circumferential lengths, radii, etc. of the manufactured ring components are separately measured, and the measured data are stored by association with the individual ring components.
Then, ring components to be used for assembling a laminated ring are selected from the manufactured and stored ring components for use as respective layers, and combined into a laminated ring. Such an assembling process is repeated as many times as the number of required laminated rings. A laminated ring for use as a belt in a CVT or the like is required to meet predetermined standard requirements such that the difference between the circumferential lengths of adjacent ring components thereof fall in a certain allowable range. Since the sizes of the ring components as respective layers suffer variations, when ring components of respective layers in a component storage facility are arbitrarily or randomly selected and combined, they may not necessarily make a desired laminated ring.
Heretofore, it has been customary for the worker to select and combine ring components from a plurality of ring components of respective layers to match given standard requirements by seeing a log of measured values of size data.
Therefore, the conventional process of selecting and combining ring components of respective layers has been tedious and time-consuming, and has presented an obstacle to efforts to increase the mass-productivity of laminated rings. Size data of ring components that are selected for being combined tend to deviate from each other. As a result, the size data of the ring components in the component storage facility have a distribution which makes it difficult to produce a preferred combination of ring components, and some ring components remain uncombined over a long period of time.
The applicant of the present application has attempted to perform, on a computer, combinatorial trial calculations for combining ring components of layers under an adequate combinatorial condition based on the size data, etc. of the ring components of the layers that are stored in the component storage facility. Ring components in as many combinations as required are unloaded from the component storage facility among combinations of ring components of layers that are produced by the above combinatorial trial calculations, and then are laminated into laminated rings.
Combinatorial conditions are set to be able to assemble as many laminated rings as possible for increasing the mass-productivity of laminated rings. For selecting a combination to be unloaded among combinations of ring components of layers obtained by combinatorial trial calculations, a combination that better matches standard requirements for size is selected.
Using a computer to perform combinatorial trial calculations makes it possible to select and combine ring components of layers efficiently in a short period of time.
If, however, a combination to be unloaded is inappropriately selected among combinations of ring components of layers obtained by combinatorial trial calculations (e.g., when a combination that better matches standard requirements for size is selected), size data of ring components of layers in the component storage facility may deviate from each other and distributions of size data of layers may vary from each other. If such a side data deviation or a size data distribution variation occurs, then the total number of combinations of ring components that can be obtained by combinatorial trial calculations is likely to be reduced, and those ring components which cannot be combined continuously remain unused in the component storage facility. As a result, it becomes difficult to mass-produce laminated rings continuously and stably.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for assembling more laminated rings continuously from ring components of layers stored in a component storage facility, thus continuously maintaining stable mass-productivity of laminated rings.
To achieve the above object, an apparatus for assembling a laminated ring according to the present invention is provided in first through third aspects. According to the first aspect, an apparatus for assembling a laminated ring, comprises a component storage facility for storing a plurality of endless ring components of each of layers which are to be laminated into a laminated ring, component data managing means for storing component data including size data representative of at least respective circumferential length values of the ring components stored in the component storage facility, combinatorial trial calculation means for performing combinatorial trial calculations to combine the component data of the layers, one by one for all the layers, in the component storage facility under a predetermined combinatorial condition based on the component data of the ring components stored by the component data managing means, to generate a plurality of lamination combinatorial data representing combinations of the ring components of the respectively layers which can be assembled into the laminated ring, and unloaded product selecting means for selecting lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled from the lamination combinatorial data generated by the combinatorial trial calculation means, wherein ring components of each of the layers corresponding to the lamination combinatorial data selected by the unloaded product selecting means can be unloaded from the component storage facility to assemble a laminated ring, the unloaded product selecting means comprising means for setting a target frequency distribution in a predetermined standard range of size data of ring components of each of the layers such that the target frequency distribution is of a substantially identical shape between the layers and target frequencies in all classes established in the standard range are equal to or greater than a predetermined positive minimum value, means for determining an actual frequency distribution of size data of ring components of each of the layers in the component storage facility as an actual inventory frequency distribution based on the size data held by the component data managing means, means for comparing the target frequency distribution and the actual inventory frequency distribution with each other for each of the layers and extracting a layer where an error of the actual inventory frequency distribution with respect to the target frequency distribution is maximum as a particular layer, means for correcting a deviation, from a target frequency in the target frequency distribution, of a frequency in each of classes in the actual inventory frequency distribution of the particular layer, which frequency is greater than the target frequency in the target frequency distribution, with a predetermined weighting coefficient for each of the classes, means for selecting a class in which the corrected deviation is of a maximum value as a class with unloading priority, and means for selecting lamination combinatorial data including component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer, out of the lamination combinatorial data generated by the combinatorial trial calculation means, as lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled, wherein the weighting coefficient is established such that the value of the deviation which is corrected by the weighting coefficient is greater for a class whose frequency tends to increase as a new ring component is loaded into the component storage facility.
In the first aspect of the present invention, the layer where an error of the actual inventory frequency distribution with respect to the target frequency distribution is maximum is extracted as the particular layer, and the class having a frequency greater than the target frequency in the target frequency distribution is selected as the class with unloading priority from the classes in the actual inventory frequency distribution of the particular layer. Of the lamination combinatorial data generated by the combinatorial trial calculation means, the lamination combinatorial data including the component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer are selected as the lamination combinatorial data corresponding to the laminated ring to be actually assembled. Ring components of the layers belonging to the selected lamination combinatorial data are unloaded from the component storage facility and assembled into the laminated ring. Therefore, the ring components belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer are preferentially unloaded, and the frequency of the class with unloading priority is reduced and approaches the target frequency. As the above unloading process is repeated, the actual inventory frequency distribution of each layer approaches the target frequency distribution until finally the actual inventory frequency distribution is substantially kept equal to the target frequency distribution.
If there is only one class whose frequency is greater than the target frequency in the target frequency distribution, then that class is selected as the class with unloading priority. However, if there are a plurality of classes whose frequency is greater than the target frequency, then the class where a value produced by correcting the deviation between the frequency of each class and the target frequency with the weighting coefficient is maximum is selected as the class with unloading priority. The weighting coefficient is established such that the value of the deviation which is corrected by the weighting coefficient is greater for a class whose frequency tends to increase as a new ring component is loaded into the component storage facility, or stated otherwise, for a class where the size data of ring components loaded into the component storage facility appear more frequently. Therefore, a class whose frequency tends to increase is selected as the class with unloading priority. Consequently, the actual inventory frequency distribution of each layer can be brought closely to the target frequency distribution.
In the first aspect of the present invention, the target frequency distribution is set such that the target frequency distribution is of a substantially identical shape between the layers and target frequencies in all classes established in the standard range are equal to or greater than the predetermined positive minimum value. Therefore, the actual inventory frequency distribution which approaches the target frequency distribution as described above is of a substantially identical shape between the layers, and becomes such a distribution that in all classes of each layer, ring components whose frequencies are equal to or higher than the minimum value are present in the component storage facility at all times. As a result, the actual inventory frequency distribution of size data of the ring components of each layer in the component storage facility is continuously maintained as a distribution capable of assembling more laminated rings from the ring components.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, therefore, the frequency distribution of the size data of the ring components of each layer in the component storage facility can continuously be maintained in a state capable of generating more laminated rings, and hence laminated rings can be mass-produced continuously stably.
In the first aspect of the present invention, the unloaded product selecting means preferably comprises means for determining, for each layer, a variation of the size data of the ring components of each layer which have been loaded into the component storage facility in the past, and means for determining a normal frequency distribution, as a basic frequency distribution for each layer, which has a variation substantially identical to an average value of the determined variations of the layers and also has, at its center, a central value of predetermined size data of the layer, wherein the target frequency distribution for each layer is established with respect to the basic frequency distribution by correcting the frequency of a class which is lower than the minimum value into the minimum value.
Generally, the size data of ring components of each layer which are manufactured have a normal frequency distribution having a certain central value (usually a design value). A variation of the size data (e.g., a standard deviation) represents the spreading extent of the normal frequency distribution.
For bringing the actual inventory frequency distribution of each layer efficiently and quickly closely to the target frequency distribution, it is preferable to set a target frequency distribution based on the actual distribution of size data of the ring components of each layer which are loaded into the component storage facility.
In the first aspect of the present invention, therefore, a variation of the size data of the ring components of each layer which have been loaded into the component storage facility in the past is determined for each layer, and a normal frequency distribution is determined as a basic frequency distribution for each layer (a frequency distribution as a basis for the target frequency distribution) which has a variation substantially identical to an average value of the determined variations of the layers and also has, at its center, a central value of predetermined size data of the layer. With the basic frequency distribution, the frequency may be lower than the minimum value, which is determined as a frequency to be kept as a minimum in each class, in classes near the opposite ends of the standard range for setting the target frequency distribution. For those classes where the frequency is lower than the minimum value, the frequency is corrected into the minimum value, and the corrected basic frequency distribution is set as the target frequency distribution.
With the target frequency distribution thus set, it is possible to bring the actual inventory frequency distribution of each layer efficiently and quickly closely to a distribution capable of continuously maintaining the stable mass productivity of laminated rings.
In the first aspect of the present invention, if there are a plurality of lamination combinatorial data including component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer, the unloaded product selecting means preferably calculates the total number of layers, as a target shortage layer number, where the distribution of the actual inventory frequency distribution is equal to or smaller than the target frequency, based on the distribution of the actual inventory frequency distribution and the target frequency of the target frequency distribution in the classes of the size data of the layers other than the particular layer, and preferentially selects lamination combinatorial data where the target shortage layer number is smaller.
Furthermore, if there are a plurality of lamination combinatorial data where the target shortage layer number is minimum, the unloaded product selecting means preferably calculates a deviation between the distribution of the actual inventory frequency distribution and the target distribution in a layer where the distribution of the actual inventory frequency distribution is equal to or smaller than the target distribution, based on the distribution of the actual inventory frequency distribution and the target frequency of the target frequency distribution in the classes of the size data of the layers other than the particular layer, calculates the sum of the deviations of all the layers other than the particular layer as a target shortage sum, and preferentially selects lamination combinatorial data where the absolute value of the target shortage sum is smaller.
With the above arrangement, if there are a plurality of lamination combinatorial data including component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer, then of the lamination combinatorial data, those lamination combinatorial data where the target shortage layer number is greater, i.e., those lamination combinatorial data which have more layers where the frequency in the actual inventory frequency distribution is equal to or smaller than the target frequency, are not positively selected, but lamination combinatorial data other than those lamination combinatorial data (lamination combinatorial data where the target shortage layer number is smaller) are preferentially selected as lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled. If there are a plurality of lamination combinatorial data where the target shortage layer number is minimum, then those lamination combinatorial data where the absolute value of the target shortage sum is greater, i.e., those lamination combinatorial data which have layers where the degree by which the frequency in the actual inventory frequency distribution is smaller than the target frequency is relatively high, are not positively selected, but lamination combinatorial data other than those lamination combinatorial data (lamination combinatorial data where the target shortage sum is smaller) are preferentially selected as lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled.
With the above arrangement, the actual inventory frequency distribution is prevented from becoming a distribution having a valley (recess) with respect to the target frequency distribution. Specifically, if the actual inventory frequency distribution had a valley, then the total number of lamination combinatorial data (the number of laminated rings that can be assembled) obtained with respect to the ring components in the component storage facility would have a general tendency to drop quickly. Such a tendency is prevented according to the above arrangement.
If the laminated ring is used as a pair of laminated rings with the component data of ring components of at least one layer satisfying a predetermined requirement, and if there are a plurality of lamination combinatorial data including component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer, the unloaded product selecting means preferentially selects a pair of lamination combinatorial data which satisfy the predetermined requirement and both include component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer, out of the plurality of lamination combinatorial data.
Specifically, if two laminated rings are used in a pair (e.g., as laminated rings for use in a belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT)), then the two laminated rings are generally required to satisfy a certain requirement (e.g., a requirement that the difference between the circumferential length values of ring components of innermost or outermost layers of the laminated ring fall within a certain range). In this case, a pair of lamination combinatorial data which satisfy the predetermined requirement and both include component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer is selected out of the plurality of lamination combinatorial data including the component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer.
Thus, a pair of lamination combinatorial data include component data belonging to the class with unloading priority of the particular layer is selected, and ring components of the layers corresponding to the selected lamination combinatorial data are unloaded from the component storage facility and assembled into a pair of laminated rings. Therefore, a desired pair of laminated rings can be assembled, and the actual inventory frequency distribution can be brought quickly closely to the target frequency distribution.
In the first aspect of the present invention, the combinatorial trial calculation means preferably comprises means for variably setting a plurality of kinds of combinatorial conditions and performing the combinatorial trial calculations under the set plurality of kinds of combinatorial conditions, and means for evaluating the number of the lamination combinatorial data obtained by the combinatorial trial calculations under the kinds of combinatorial conditions and determining a combinatorial condition which maximizes the number as an adequate combinatorial condition.
With the above arrangement, there is found a combinatorial condition for maximizing the number of lamination combinatorial data generated by combinatorial trial calculations, and such a combinatorial condition is determined as the predetermined combinatorial condition. Lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be assembled are selected by the unloaded product selecting means from the lamination combinatorial data generated by combinatorial trial calculations based on the combinatorial condition. Therefore, even when the number of laminated rings required to be assembled is relatively large with respect to the ring components presently stored in the component storage facility, it is possible to supply ring components for assembling the required number of laminated rings from the component storage facility. As a consequence, the mass productivity of laminated rings is increased, and laminated rings can continuously and stably be mass-produced.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for assembling a laminated ring comprises a component storage facility for storing a plurality of endless ring components of each of layers which are to be laminated into a laminated ring, component data managing means for storing component data including size data representative of at least respective circumferential length values of the ring components stored in the component storage facility, combinatorial trial calculation means for performing combinatorial trial calculations to combine the component data of the layers, one by one for all the layers, in the component storage facility under a predetermined combinatorial condition based on the component data of the ring components stored by the component data managing means, to generate a plurality of lamination combinatorial data representing combinations of the ring components of the respectively layers which can be assembled into the laminated ring, and unloaded product selecting means for selecting lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled from the lamination combinatorial data generated by the combinatorial trial calculation means, wherein ring components of each of the layers corresponding to the lamination combinatorial data selected by the unloaded product selecting means can be unloaded from the component storage facility to assemble a laminated ring, the unloaded product selecting means comprising means for performing, for a plurality of times, a process of selecting a predetermined number of lamination combinatorial data as hypothetical unloading combinatorial data from the lamination combinatorial data generated by the combinatorial trial calculation means, and means for, each time the predetermined number of hypothetical unloading combinatorial data are selected, determining the degree of agreement between a frequency distribution of the size data in each layer of remaining component data which are obtained by removing the component data of each layer included in the selected hypothetical unloading combinatorial data from the component data held by the component data managing means and a predetermined target frequency distribution for each layer, wherein the predetermined number of hypothetical unloading combinatorial data where the degree of agreement is higher are preferentially selected as lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the unloaded product selecting means selects a predetermined number of lamination combinatorial data (the hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data) from the lamination combinatorial data generated by the combinatorial trial calculations performed by the combinatorial trial calculation means, and unloads a combination of ring components of the layers corresponding to the selected hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data from the component storage facility. Such a hypothetically unloading process is carried out a plurality of times. The hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data selected in the respective hypothetically unloading processes are different from each other. If the predetermined number of hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data is 2 or more, then one or a plurality of ( less than the predetermined number) hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data in one process may be identical to one or a plurality of hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data in another process. The predetermined number may be the same as or smaller than the number of combinations of ring components of the layers (the number of laminated rings to be assembled) that are required to be actually unloaded from the component storage facility.
Each time the hypothetical unloading process is carried out (i.e., the predetermined number of hypothetical unloading combinatorial data are selected), the unloaded product selecting means determines the degree of agreement between a frequency distribution of the size data in each layer of remaining component data which are obtained by removing the component data of each layer included in the selected hypothetical unloading combinatorial data from the component data held by the component data managing means and a predetermined target frequency distribution for each layer, and preferentially selects the predetermined number of hypothetical unloading combinatorial data where the degree of agreement is higher as lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled. In the present invention, ring components of the layers corresponding to the component data included in the selected lamination combinatorial data are unloaded from the component storage facility and assembled into the laminated ring.
In the second aspect of the present invention, therefore, ring components of the layers are unloaded while the frequency distribution of the values of size data of the layers in the component storage facility is being controlled at a desired target frequency distribution. In this manner, the mass productivity of laminated rings can continuously and stably be achieved while avoiding a deviation of the values of the size data of the layers in the component storage facility.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the target frequency distribution comprises, for example, a frequency distribution of size data of a plurality of ring components for each layer which have been loaded into the component storage facility in the past.
The frequency distribution of size data of the ring components of the layers in the component storage facility is maintained at the frequency distribution of average size data of the ring components of each layer which have actually been loaded into the component storage facility in the past. Thus, the frequency distribution of size data of the ring components of the layers in the component storage facility is maintained at a frequency distribution capable of assembling more laminated rings, and the continuous and stable mass productivity of laminated rings can be increased.
Specifically, the ring components of each layer which have been loaded into the component storage facility in the past may be ring components which have been loaded into the component storage facility for a certain period of time in the past or ring components of a certain long number which have been loaded into the component storage facility in the past.
Alternatively, the target frequency distribution comprises a frequency distribution of size data of a plurality of ring components for each layer which are presently stored in the component storage facility.
With the above arrangement, ring components in the component storage facility are combined and unloaded while the frequency distribution of size data of the ring components of the layers in the component storage facility is maintained at the frequency distribution of present size data in the component storage facility. In this case, as a new ring component is loaded into the component storage facility, the frequency distribution of size data of the ring components of the layers in the component storage facility basically approaches a frequency distribution with a design value at its center. Thus, the frequency distribution of size data of the ring components in the component storage facility is kept at a frequency distribution capable of assembling more laminated rings, and the continuous and stable mass productivity of laminated rings can be increased.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the unloaded product selecting means determines the degree of agreement by comparing one or both of an average value of the size data of each layer of at least the remaining component data and a variation of the size data with one or both of an average value of size data and a variation thereof with respect to the target frequency distribution.
In order to determine the degree of agreement between the frequency distribution of the values of the size data of the remaining component data after the hypothetical unloading and the target frequency distribution, the average value of size data and the variation thereof (e.g., a standard deviation or a variance) is used for appropriate determination of the degree of agreement.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the combinatorial trial calculation means preferably comprises means for variably setting a plurality of kinds of combinatorial conditions and performing the combinatorial trial calculations under the set plurality of kinds of combinatorial conditions, and means for evaluating the number of the lamination combinatorial data obtained by the combinatorial trial calculations under the kinds of combinatorial conditions and determining a combinatorial condition which maximizes the number as an adequate combinatorial condition.
As with the first aspect of the present invention as described above, lamination combinatorial data are selected by the unloaded product selecting means from the lamination combinatorial data generated by combinatorial trial calculations based on the combinatorial condition which maximizes the number of lamination combinatorial data. Therefore, even when the number of laminated rings required to be assembled is relatively large with respect to the ring components presently stored in the component storage facility, it is possible to supply ring components for assembling the required number of laminated rings from the component storage facility. As a consequence, the mass productivity of laminated rings is increased, and laminated rings can continuously and stably be mass-produced.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for assembling a laminated ring comprises a component storage facility for storing a plurality of endless ring components of each of layers which are to be laminated into a laminated ring, wherein ring components to assemble the laminated ring are selected from the ring components of each layer which are stored in the component storage facility, unloaded from the component storage facility, and laminated into a laminated ring, first combinatorial trial calculation means for performing combinatorial trial calculations to combine the component data of the layers, one by one for all the layers, in the component storage facility under a predetermined first combinatorial condition based on the component data of the ring components stored by the component data managing means, to generate a plurality of lamination combinatorial data representing combinations of the ring components of the respectively layers which can be assembled into the laminated ring, second combinatorial trial calculation means for performing, for a plurality of times, a process of selecting a predetermined number of lamination combinatorial data as hypothetical unloading combinatorial data from the lamination combinatorial data generated by the first combinatorial trial calculation means, and, each time the predetermined number of hypothetical unloading combinatorial data are selected, performing combinatorial trial calculations on remaining component data which are obtained by removing the component data of the ring components of each layer corresponding to the selected predetermined number of lamination combinatorial data, under a second combinatorial condition based on the remaining component data to generate lamination combinatorial data matching the second combinatorial condition, unloaded product selecting means for evaluating the number of lamination combinatorial data generated by the second combinatorial trial calculation means per selection of the hypothetical unloading combinatorial data, and selecting lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled from the unloading combinatorial data whose number is maximum, wherein ring components corresponding to the lamination combinatorial data selected by the unloaded product selecting means are unloaded from the component storage facility and assembled into a laminated ring.
In the third aspect of the present invention, as with the unloaded product selecting means in the second aspect, the second combinatorial trial calculation means selects a predetermined number of lamination combinatorial data (the hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data) from the lamination combinatorial data generated by the combinatorial trial calculations performed under the first combinatorial condition by the first combinatorial trial calculation means, and unloads a combination of ring components of the layers corresponding to the selected hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data from the component storage facility. Such a hypothetically unloading process is carried out a plurality of times.
Per hypothetical unloading process (each time a predetermined number of hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data are selected), the second combinatorial trial calculation means performs combinatorial trial calculations under the second combinatorial condition on the remaining component data (corresponding to ring components left in the component storage facility) obtained by removing the selected hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data from the component data held by the component data managing means. In this manner, a hypothetical combination (lamination combinatorial data) of ring components of the layers for assembling a laminated ring from the ring components left in the component storage facility after the hypothetical unloading process is obtained in each present hypothetical unloading process (per selection of a predetermined number of hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data).
In the third aspect of the present invention, the unloaded product selecting means evaluates the number of lamination combinatorial data generated by combinatorial trial calculations performed by the second combinatorial trial calculation means after the hypothetical unloading process, and selects lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled from the unloading combinatorial data whose number is maximum. That is, when combinatorial trial calculations after the hypothetical unloading process are performed on the remaining component data, lamination combinatorial data corresponding to a laminated ring to be actually assembled are selected from the lamination combinatorial data generated from the remaining component data except the component data included in the predetermined number of hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data capable of generating most lamination combinatorial data. Ring components corresponding to the component data included in the selected lamination combinatorial data are then unloaded from the component storage facility and assembled into the laminated ring.
In the third aspect of the present invention, therefore, a combination of ring components of the layers to assemble a laminated ring are unloaded from the component storage facility while leaving ring components of the layers able to assemble more laminated rings in the component storage facility. In this manner, the mass productivity of laminated rings can stably and continuously be achieved.
In the third aspect of the present invention, the first combinatorial trial calculation means preferably comprises means for variably setting a plurality of kinds of combinatorial conditions and performing combinatorial trial calculations on the component data held by the component data managing means based on the set kinds of combinatorial conditions, and means for evaluating the number of the lamination combinatorial data obtained by the combinatorial trial calculations under the kinds of combinatorial conditions and determining a combinatorial condition which maximizes the number as the first combinatorial condition.
Similarly, the second combinatorial trial calculation means preferably comprises means for variably setting a plurality of kinds of combinatorial conditions and performing combinatorial trial calculations on remaining component data obtained by removing the hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data from the component data held by the component data managing means based on the set kinds of combinatorial conditions per section of the hypothetically unloaded combinatorial data, and means for evaluating the number of the lamination combinatorial data obtained by the combinatorial trial calculations under the kinds of combinatorial conditions and determining a combinatorial condition which maximizes the number as the second combinatorial condition.
Since the first combinatorial trial calculation means and the second combinatorial trial calculation means perform combinatorial trial calculations under the first combinatorial condition and the second combinatorial condition, respectively, for maximizing the number of generated lamination combinatorial data, it is possible to generate more lamination combinatorial data based on the combinatorial trial calculations carried out by the first and second combinatorial trial calculation means. Consequently, even when the number of laminated rings required to be assembled is relatively large with respect to the ring components presently stored in the component storage facility, it is possible to supply ring components to assemble the required number of laminated rings from the component storage facility. As a result, the mass productivity of laminated rings is increased, and laminated rings can continuously and stably be mass-produced.
In the third aspect of the present invention, the second combinatorial condition relative to the second combinatorial trial calculation means may be identical to the first combinatorial condition relative to the first combinatorial trial calculation means.
In the first through third aspects of the present invention, each of the combinatorial trial calculation means specifically comprises means for performing the combinatorial trial calculations by performing a particular layer data selecting process of successively selecting a plurality of component data of a predetermined particular layer (e.g., an innermost layer or an outermost layer), one by one, based on predetermined combinatorial conditions, an interlayer selecting process of selecting, sequentially from a layer adjacent to the particular layer, component data of other layers to be combined with the selected component data of the particular layer based on the combinatorial conditions each time the component data of the particular layer are selected, and a process of excluding the component data of the layers of the lamination combinatorial data from component data that can be selected in following cycles of the interlayer selecting process when the lamination combinatorial data are generated by the interlayer selecting process. The predetermined combinatorial conditions preferably include a trial calculation starting point selecting condition that prescribes a sequence in which to select component data of the particular layer in the particular layer data selecting process based on the size data, for example, and an interlayer selecting condition that prescribes which component data of a layer adjacent to a layer whose component data have been selected by the interlayer selecting process is to be selected based on the size data, for example. The predetermined combinatorial conditions serve as the first combinatorial condition with respect to the first combinatorial trial calculation means in the third aspect of the present invention, and as the second combinatorial condition with respect to the second combinatorial trial calculation means in the third aspect of the present invention.
If a plurality of kinds of predetermined combinatorial conditions are variably established, it is preferable to variably establish a plurality of kinds of one or both of the trial calculation starting point selecting condition and the interlayer selecting condition.